The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1887-03-26
Direr,ifed IoricuIfure

Mr.. S. q. Harrison at the Illinois
Dairymen's Convention just held at Au-
rora, presented paper on mixed farming,
Ill which the whole subject was carefully
considered. One of the points made was
that any product TO be consumed in dis
tant market should be decreased in bulk
and weight SO long as it does not decrease
IN money value. Hence beef, mutton, and
pork should be fattened. Dairy products
are still more reducible. This was illus
trated as follows:
If bushel of corn weighing fifty six
pounds will produce six pounds of pork,
four pounds of beef or two pounds of but
ter, and all are to be consumed in New
York City, and each could be produced at
the same expense, and would sell for the
same amount in the city, the butter pro-
Queer would have reasonable profit over
even meat producers, to say nothing of
what he would gain over selling the corn.
Besides, the man who ships grain off his
farm is rapidly reducing its productive ca
pacitv, for We rob our land to the extent if
we remove anything from it. As mixed
farming" reduces the bulk and weight of
products sold without decreasing their
value, thus reducing the drain on the fer
tility of the land and cost of transportation
to place of consumption, besides utilizing
much that would otherwise be wasted, We
would recommend "mixed farming" to
every one having enough capital and bust
ness capacity TO manage it properly.
Combination was also illustrated as
among the important means of increasing
the revenue on the farm, and it was held
that when each part is well done, too many
things cannot be combined. Nevertheless
it must be remembered that it is fully as
difficult TO carry ont large combination
of interests in agriculture as it is to I'M
dertake several trades or professions under
one management. Few persons can carry
out the breeding of turf or draft horses in
their several strains, breed several fami-
lies of beef and dairy cattle, and at the same
time carry on system of general cropping
and of dairying. But one and the same
man, if he has good business ability, NAV
select a single breed of horses or cattle
whether beef or dairy, one of sheep, and
one of hogs, and at the same time carry on
cropping; and if he keeps dairy breed of
cattle, he may carry on dairying success
fully. In fact, a man cannot breed success
fully without also combining an intelligent
system of cropping Herewith. Combina-
ton is always an advantage where the
parts combined perform their several func-
tons as well as could be done singly. One
phase of this was illustrated as follows:
The corn-planter and check-rower that ac-
composites IN one operation what was for
merly done in the four separate operations
of marking dropping" Covering" and
"rclling," is but one of the many inven-
tons which illustrate the great advantages
of combination. AS q country of varied
resources is superior to one limited 10 a
few, so n business having several sources
of profit Is more certain of success than
that limited to one thing.
In roll TO r,eiy for NJ
son held:
Farming, raising horses, cattle swine
and poultry, and manufacturing butter and
cheese, are seven departments of business
and labor quite unlike In many respects.
A man who would be marked success in
one of them, mil ht be failure in al the
others. Find a man who understands each
department and add to this yet, ability to
manage employees, and you have one who
will be grand success in mixed farming"
But each department must be managed the
very best, because it is only the very best
in any trade or profession that have profit
or honor from their work.
In mixed farming" there is required
more capital as well as business capacity
than in any single department that NAV
enter into combination, and ii is only in al
extensive business that much profit ac-
crues, because the expense in buildings,
machinery, and labor is nearly the same in
a small as in a large business.
"Mixed farming has decided advantage
in labor and produce saved. The dairy
supplies calves, and milk for them. and
pigs, which would be mostly lost in dairy
ing alone. 4 vast amount of course feed is
valuable as such feed can be used in COM
bined farming that would be entirely lost
in farming alone. There is also vast
saving in the cost of transportation.